Cigarette package



S. M. PECK CIGARETTE PACKAGE Jan. 12, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 8, 1964 INVENTOR. SAMUEL M. PECK BY MORGAN, FiNNEGAN,DURHAM 8: PINE ATTORNEYS Jan. 12, 1965 s. M. PECK 3,165,249

CIGARETTE PACKAGE Filed Jan. 8, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. SAMUEL M. PECK v BY MORGAN, FINNEGAN, DURHAM a PINE ATTORNEYS Jan. 12, 1965 s. M. PECK CIGARETTE PACKAGE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 8, 1964 INVENTOR SAMUEL M. PECK BY MORGAN,FINNEGAN,DURHAM 8 PINE ATTORNEYS Jan. 12, 1965 s. M. PECK 3,165,249

CIGARETTE PACKAGE Filed Jan. 8, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 U.Ul/ U-.4a

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9 SAMUEL M. PECK BY MORGAN, FINNEGAN, DURHAM 81 PINE ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,165,249 CIGARETTE PACKAGE Samuel M. Peck, 33 E. 70th St., New York, N.Y. Filed Jan. 8, 1964, Ser. No. 336,403 4 Claims. (Cl. 225-43) This invention relates to the packaging of cigarettes. More specifically, this invention relates to a cigarette package for carrying and dispensing one or more of a plurality of cigarettes encased in a protective sheathing material.

As cigarettes are presently packaged, there are twenty in each pack or box, usually packed in three layers, and without any individual wrapping. Consequently, the pack or box is bulky, and must be carried even until the last cigarette is removed. Further, once the pack or box is opened to remove a single cigarette, the others are not protected against dirt, dust, and the like and, unless removed within a relatively short period, the remaining cigarettes will become stale and distasteful.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide in a cigarette package a container for carrying a plurality of cigarettes which is of a less bulky nature than conventional cigarette packages.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a cigarette package, a plurality of cigarettes encased in a protective sheathing from which a selected number of cigarettes may be removed while maintaining the sheathing about the remaining cigarettes, whereby the remaining cigarettes are protected from dirt, dust, and the like and maintained in a state of freshness for a prolonged period of time.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a cigarette package carrying a plurality of cigarettes encased in a protective sheathing, a container having means for dispensing and detaching a selected number of cigarettes from the remainder carried in the package, the remaining cigarettes being maintained within the protective sheathing.

be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention, the objects and advantages being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Briefly described, the present invention is directed towards a novel cigarette package comprising a container carrying a plurality of cigarettes encased in a continuous strip of protective sheathing material in parallel, side-byside, spaced apart relationship, the container including means whereby a selected member of the cigarettes may be dispensed therefrom and detached from the remaining cigarettes in the package, the remaining cigarettes being maintained in the protective sheathing. The protective sheathing forms a flexible web between the cigarettes, the cigarettes being detachable at the webbed portion; to aid the container means in detaching the selected number of cigarettes, the web may be perforated.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view illustrating a container and plurality of encased cigarettes contained therein, in accordance with the cigarette package of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along lines IIII of FIGURE 1;

3,155,249 Patented Jan. 12, 1965 ice FIGURE 3 is a top plan view illustrating the construction of the container of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an isometric view illustrating the construction of the container of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged detail view of the serrated cutting edge used in the cigarette container of the subject invention;

FIGURE 6 is an isometric view of a plurality of cigarettes to be carried in the container of FIGURE 1 prior to encasement in a sheathing, in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 7 illustrates in an isometric view the cigarettes of FIGURE 6 after encasement in a sheathing;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged view taken along lines VIII-VIII of FIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken along lines ]XIX of FIGURE 8.

Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 the cigarette package of the subject invention comprising the combination of a cigarette container indicated generally by reference numeral 10, carry.- ing a plurality of individually encased cigarettes therein, indicated generally by reference numeral 40.

The container 10 is of box-like construction and may be formed of paperboard or other suitable material of sufficient rigidity to protect the contents thereof from being crushed. For ease of description, rather than as being a limitation on the orientation of the container, side 12 will be referred to herein as the bottom of the container and side 14 as the top of the container.

As shown in FIGURES 3-5, the construction of the box or container comprises a bottom 12 having flap extensions 12a, 12b, 12c and 12d which, when folded perpendicular to the bottom 12, form the sides of the container. The length of the flap extensions may of course be varied, depending on the desired number of layers of cigarettes which it is intended for the container to accommodate. Applicant has found that two layers of ciga rettes is very satisfactory to form a conveniently dimensioned container and yet be thin enough to reduce bulkiness. However, a single layer of cigarettes would be equally satisfactory if it were desired to package less cigarettes in a single container.

Top 14 of the box or container 10 is a continuation of flap member 12a and is comprised of two sections 16 and 18. Section 16 is adapted to be folded over onto the edges of sides 12b and 12d and rigidly secured in such position by means of flap members 16a, 1612. It will be understood that the several flap members may be secured to form the rigid box in any manner well known in the art, as by stapling, gluing, etc.

Section 13 of top 14- is creased at 17 to provide a hingelike movement, permitting section 18 to open and close. Flap members 18a, 18b are not rigidly secured to the sides of the box but rather serve to guide section 18 into the closed position, and thereafter rest snugly against sides 12b and 12d to provide added rigidity to the box.

In accordance with the invention, means is provided for guiding the cigarettes out of the box and onto a cutting edge for removal of a selected number of cigarettes from the package.

As embodied, this guide means comprises the strips or panels 20, 22 having slots 21, 23 cut on opposite sides at the ends thereof. By folding the strips over onto each other (see arrows, FIGURE 4), and interconnecting the slotted ends, as indicated at 25 (FIGURE 1), the strips form a guide channel 26.

Cutting edge 30, shown in detail in FIGURE 5, is attached to top section 18, at the end of the guide channel 26. Although a serrated edge is illustrated in the drawin it will be understood that any suitable cutting or ablerneans to form a webbing 45. Thus it will be seen that each individual cigarette is completely enclosed to retain its freshness and protect it from dust, dirt or other injury. Webbing 45 may be perforated at 46 in order to aid in the separation of one or more cigarettes from the remainder of the strip, more fully discussed hereinbelow.

While the drawings have illustrated the cigarettes 42 as being individually encased in the sheathing strips 43, 44, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that it would be equality possible to encase two or more cigarettes between webbing 45.

While sheathing strips 43, 44 may be formed of any suitable material, the combination of transparent plastic for sheath 43. and aluminum foil for sheath 44 has been found to be satisfactory. Transparent plastic material is aesthetically pleasing in that the cigarettes may be seen clearly therethrough and at the same time provides moisture-proof protection, firmly sealing in the freshness and flavor of each individual cigarette, and also providing protection against crushing. The sheathing of aluminum foil also serves to seal in the cigarette flavor and, together with perforations 46 in the webbing 45, gives flexibility to the cigarette strip.

The function of the box or container 10 in dispensing and detaching the selected number of cigarettes from the sheathed strip 40 is as follows: The desired number of cigarettes are encased in a sheathing and'placed into the box 10, one end of the cigarette strip being initially fed into guide channel 26. Upon opening top section 18, a selected number of cigarettes are removed from the box by gently pushing thestrip through the guide channel, and

severing. the selected cigarettes at the perforations 46 along cutting edge 30. Top section 18 is then returned to the closed position until it is desired to remove additional cigarettes from the box.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific embodiment herein shown and described but departures may be madetherefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims, without departing from the 4 principlesof the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

I claim:

1. A cigarette package comprising a container and a plurality of cigarettes contained therein said container carrying at least one layer of cigarettes and having a hinged top for dispensing a selected number of said cigarettes therefrom, said hinged top including guide, means through which said selected number-of cigarettes are fed, and cutting means for detaching said selected number of cigarettes from the remaining cigarettes in the package, said guide means comprising a panel member extending across the inner side of said hingedtop and spaced therefrom to form a guide channel between'said hinged top and said panel member, said cutting means attached to the free edge of said hinged top atthe end of said guide channel, said plurality of cigarettes" being encased in a continuous sheathing in spaced, substantiallyparallel, sideby-side relationship, said sheathing formed into a perforated web between said cigarettes, whereby a selected number of cigarettesmay be dispensed from said package by beingfe'd through said guide channel onto said cutting means and severed along said perforated web of said sheathing.

2. A cigarette package as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plurality of cigarettes are individually encased in said continuous sheathing.

3. A cigarette package as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sheathing comprises an upper layer of a transparent plastic material and a bottom layer of aluminum foil.

4. A cigarette package as 'claimed in claim 1 wherein said cutting means comprises a metallic blade having a serrated edge. 7

References Citedby the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS ANDREW R; JUHASZ, Primary Examner. 

1. A CIGARETTE PACKAGE COMPRISING A CONTAINER AND A PLURALITY OF CIGARETTES CONTAINED THEREIN, SAID CONTAINER CARRYING AT LEAST ONE LAYER OF CIGARETTES AND HAVING A HINGED TOP FOR DISPENSING A SELECTED NUMBER OF SAID CIGARETTES THEREFROM, SAID HINGED TOP INCLUDING GUIDE MEANS THROUGH WHICH SAID SELECTED NUMBER OF CIGARETTES ARE FED, AND CUTTING MEANS FOR DETACHING SAID SELECTED NUMBER OF CIGARETTES FROM THE REMAINING CIGARETTES IN THE PACKAGE, SAID GUIDE MEANS COMPRISING A PANEL MEMBER EXTENDING ACROSS THE INNER SIDE OF SAID HINGED TOP AND SPACED THEREFROM TO FORM A GUIDE CHANNEL BETWEEN SAID HINGED TOP AND SAID PANEL MEMBER, SAID CUTTING MEANS ATTACHED TO THE FREE EDGE OF SAID HINGED TOP AT THE END OF SAID GUIDE CHANNEL, SAID PLURALITY OF CIGARETTES BEING ENCASED IN A CONTINUOUS SHEATHING IN SPACED, SUBSTANTIALLY PARLLEL, SIDEBY-SIDE RELATIONSHIP, SAID SHEATING FORMED INTO A PERFORATED WEB BETWEEN SAID CIGARETTES, WHEREBY, A SELECTED NUMBER OF CIGARETTES MAY BE DISPENSED FROM SAID PACKAGE BY BEING FED THROUGH SAID GUIDE CHANNEL ONTO SAID CUTTING MEANS AND SEVERED ALONG SAID PERFORATED WEB OF SAID SHEATING. 